Must Atheists Trash Religion?

[relayerbob]

258. "Atheism" is generally more than disbelief in my experience

Someone who simply don't believe in something don't talk about it, much as they wouldn't debate a Flat Earth. And not all people who disbelieve are "religious" any more than I consider all people who believe in a god as "religious" (they can spiritual or simply don't think about it much, but basically prefer to believe as opposed to not- or agnostic which is all any of us really are).

However, many atheists are quite vocal and evangelical about it, trying to convert people to their position. Which is a fine position to have if one so chooses, however, there is exactly as much proof that a god exists as that one doesn't exist, so to try to push that belief system on someone else is based entirely on faith, not fact. Converting people to one's own personal belief system without fact to base it on is what I consider a religion. What particular entity one chooses to vociferously disbelieve is not relevant, any more than which deity one chooses to push on people.

And anyone of any ilk, who stakes out a position of "I know for certain" is, IMO, an "extremist" (ie, at the extreme edge of the continuum of belief and disbelief) and pushing their beliefs. Doesn't matter if that position is Christian, Muslim, Hindu, atheist, or whatever.